NLEX bridge repairs to take up weeks after truck incident

Traffic congestion continues to plague motorists along the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) as repairs on the Marilao Interchange Bridge are expected to take two to three weeks, following an accident involving two trucks.

On 19 March, NLEX Corporation announced that the crash on the northbound lane caused significant damage to two bridge girders, forcing the closure of Lanes 2 and 3. A zipper lane was set up on the southbound direction to ease congestion, while patrol teams were deployed to manage the situation.

In an interview with DZBB on 20 March, Robin Ignacio, assistant vice president for traffic operations at NLEX Corporation, confirmed that bridge repairs had already begun and were being expedited.

"Our engineers and contractors have assessed that repairs will take around two to three weeks. We’re aiming to complete the work before Holy Week," Ignacio said.

He emphasized that keeping two lanes closed was necessary to accelerate the repair process, noting that only two out of four lanes, plus the shoulder, remain operational. Due to the reduced capacity, intermittent counterflows may be implemented southbound, depending on traffic volume.

The accident has severely impacted northbound traffic, with Ignacio urging motorists to consider alternative routes. However, he acknowledged that congestion has also been reported on these detours.

NLEX officials revealed that the incident stemmed from an overheight truck that bypassed designated truck lanes and ignored clearance protocols.

"Our teams were actively measuring truck heights when this particular vehicle deliberately avoided the designated lane. In fact, last night alone, we measured over 100 trucks, and 21 of them were overheight and had to be diverted," Ignacio said.

NLEX Corporation has installed height sensors that trigger alarms when an overheight vehicle approaches restricted areas. However, Ignacio explained that the truck in question avoided these sensors by using the wrong lane.

As a result, the truck driver may face charges of reckless imprudence resulting in damage to property.

Authorities continue to monitor traffic flow and are working to minimize disruptions, but with repairs expected to last for weeks, motorists are advised to plan their routes accordingly.